A meeting to resolve the dispute between Irish Ferries management and unions is taking place this evening in the Labour Relations Commission.
Attending the meeting are representatives from SIPTU, the Seamen's Union of Ireland (SUI) and management.
Yesterday, the company laid off 450 staff without pay and has taken three of its four ships out of service.
Only one vessel, the MV Ulysses,which sails on the Dublin to Holyhead route, is still operating normally.
Behind the dispute is the company's decision to introduce a €3.4 million cost-cutting plan that will see 52 workers from its sea-going staff of 777 made redundant.
However, talks on the proposed layoffs have not yet started because the SUI has refused to take part in joint discussions with SIPTU.
Irish Ferries claims that the cost base on its vessels is too high and must be reduced if it is to compete with its competitors.